BIBLE SANCTIFICATION
PART II

1 THESSALONIANS 4:1

A. SANCTIFICATION
  1. To set apart for holy use: The seventh day Sabbath was set apart for holy use - Gen. 2:2, 3
  2. To cleanse from sin: Eph. 5:24, 25; Heb. 13:12; we are cleansed by the Word, through the blood of Christ and the operation of the Holy Spirit.
B. WORK OF SANCTIFICATION
  1. It follows justification: Rom. 8:30
  2. It is very thorough: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly" - 1 Thess. 5:23
  3. It includes your spirit, body, and the soul: Rom. 6:16; 12:1-3; 1 Thess. 5:23
  4. Sanctification is threefold:
    1. Cleansing of our conscience from dead works - Heb. 9:14; 10:22
    2. Separation from evil habits and sinful practices - 2 Cor. 6:14-17; 7:1-3
    3. Things to put off the old man - Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9
    4. Put off these -
      1. Anger
      2. Wrath
      3. Malice
      4. Blasphemy
      5. Filthy communication
    5. Putting on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him - Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; Tit. 3:5
    6. Dedicating our life to a walk with God and to witnessing for the truth. These are, according to the Bible, the chief ends of Bible sanctification.
    7. That is why it is the work of a lifetime.
C. IMPLEMENTS OF SANCTIFICATION
  1. The Word of God; the object of the plan of redemption is:
    1. To remove sin out of the life of man, which is a barrier to God and His blessings - Isa. 55:1-6
    2. To restore the image of God that has been marred by sin - Jer. 18:1-6; Rom. 8:29
    3. God uses the Word of God to accomplish these objectives - Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:22, 23; Heb. 4:12
  2. The blood of Jesus Christ:
    1. We all have sinned and for that reason have become defiled - Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:9-19
    2. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from this defilement - 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 1 John 1:7-9; Heb. 9:22, 23
    3. Sin is the transgression of God's law; God's law is an expression of His character against which we have offended. It took the blood of Christ to atone for our transgression - 1 John 3:4; Rom. 5:11
  3. The Holy Spirit:
    1. Without the creative energy of the third person of the Holy Spirit our carnal nature would be unaffected.
    2. It is the Holy Spirit that applies the Word of God, uses its power to change our way of life - Zech. 4:6; John 6:63; Rom. 15:16; 2 Thess. 2:13
D. EFFECTS OF BIBLE SANCTIFICATION
  1. Negatively: Not pharisaical - Luke 18:10-12; neither rebellious against God's law, a revelation of God's will.
  2. Positively: In harmony with God's will - 2 Tim. 2:21; Rev. 22:14


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